BEIRUT (Reuters) - Russian warplanes carried out dozens of air strikes in and around the historic Syrian city of Palmyra on Saturday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said.

It said some 70 raids had hit the city and its immediate vicinity, with no immediate reports of casualties. Palmyra has been under the control of Islamic State since the group seized it in May.

Syrian government forces and their allies are aiming to recapture the city. Russia has said that the conditions have been created for a complete defeat of IS in Palmyra, and is continuing air strikes on IS targets despite having begun a withdrawal of its forces from the country.